Scottish Executive unveils 10 targets for China Plan

Arriving in Shanghai today, Finance Minister Tom McCabe will set out 10 targets for the Scottish Executive's China plan.

This includes a pledge that at least 200 Scottish pupils will take a new qualification in Mandarin within four years.

Other targets include a doubling of SQA qualifications awarded in China by 2010, a 10% increase in Chinese applicants to the Fresh Talent scheme within four years, and an increase in scientific collaboration. (28th August)

Language learning declining at GCSE

In England, language uptake at GCSE has continued to fall sharply this year, with entries in German down by 14.2% and in French by 13.2%.

Since 2004, it has not compulsory for pupils to study a language at GCSE; beneficiary subjects include RE, PE and Media Studies.

Government policy is to emphasise language learning at primary school level - but while this will no doubt produce results in the medium term, experts argue more should be done to promote language learning among adolescents.

"Fourteen-year-olds are disadvantaging themselves in the job market by giving up languages and the number of language teachers is declining," John Dunford of the Association of School and College Leaders told the BBC.

" Schools need to find new ways of teaching languages other than just GCSEs."

More effort should be made to promote language learning after 16 Dunford argues - and schools should find opportunities to introduce this informally, with for example full-time two week taster courses at the end of the academic year. (25th August 2006)

Employers find basic skills lacking, poll finds

A CBI poll has found that 1 in 5 employers found non-graduates struggled with literacy or numeracy. Meanwhile 1 in 3 employers have given their staff remedial lessons in basic English and maths.

The poll quizzed 140 companies, and was commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills. The DfES plan to introduce new functional skills modules to GCSE to raise basic skills. (21st August 2006)

China opens vocational training to foreign investment

Vocational training in China is to be opened up to foreign investment, effective from October 1st.

While the job market for Chinese university graduates has been highly competitive in recent years, many Chinese cities are experiencing a shortage of skilled workers.

Beijing city authorities currently report a shortfall of over 300,000 skilled workers, and in Harbin, Hangzhou and Chengdu starting salaries for skilled workers are currently higher than those for university graduates.

Vocational training in China is delivered through secondary vocational schools. Local governments will spend twenty billion RMB on vocational training over the next five years, with a further ten billion RMB supplied by central government. (18th August 2006)

Education Minister moots end for Standard Grades, Intermediate exams

As anxious teenagers across Scotland received their exam results yesterday, education minister Peter Peacock revealed that the Executive is considering dropping Standard Grade and Intermediate Exams in 4th and 5th year, despite increased uptake this year (see previous story).

The education minister suggested it might be preferable if students were only examined once, when leaving school.

"I think Highers and Access will stay, but there is some debate to be had about Intermediate and Standard Grade, and that does raise the question about whether we have pupils sitting exams at S4 if they are going to have further study," Peacock told the Scotsman newspaper.

"If you look at other education systems internationally and in Europe, you will find that many don't examine pupils until they are leaving school. I'm not pronouncing on this, but there is a legitimate debate to be had." (9th August 2006)

Standard Grade still popular with schools

SQA statistics have revealed that the number of students taking Standard Grade exams rose by almost 5000 last year, to 415,845.

Standard Grade candidate numbers though remain over 40,000 below those of 2002, as more schools direct students to Intermediate and Access 3 awards. Some local authorities like East Renfrewshire have dropped Standard Grade altogether, together with private schools like St Aloysius College.

Candidate numbers for Higher exams has also dropped, as students opt for less demanding Intermediate 2 courses.

Total candidate numbers meanwhile are higher than ever before - with over 150,000 candidates generating over 750,000 entries, both milestones being passed for the first time this year. (7th August 2006)

Employers value good spelling, survey finds

A survey has found that 77% of employers value good spelling in job applications - more than twice as many claimed to be alienated by bad spelling as by CV exaggerations.

Researchers at Hertfordshire University spoke to 515 companies; although focusing on graduate recruitment, their findings echo a survey conducted by the Confederation of British Industry last year, which suggested that 42% of employers were unhappy with school leavers' level of reading, writing and numeracy. (4th August 2006)

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